What are some tips for writing a federal resume?

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Tips for writing a strong resume for a position in a federal agency include making it more detailed than the typical resume and emphasizing the sections that delineate duties, requirements and qualifications. The applicant must make repeated connections between the pertinent job duties and the applicant's education and skills.

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When creating a federal resume, the applicant should stress and detail any previous experience in the federal government, particularly if such an experience was connected to the requirements and skills necessary for the new position. Previous experience in the armed services may qualify an applicant for veteran's preference and should be noted prominently on the resume. Applicants should list examples of strong performance in previous work duties as measured by recognizable metrics and scales, something that is very useful to federal managers, specifically those overlooking large agencies or a number of departments. The applicant should discuss how certain achievements were accomplished in the interview section of the hiring process.

Because so many applicants are likely to have similar skills, education and achievements, applicants need to let their resumes show how they have gone beyond these things in their previous positions and how they can use their past experience as a creative force in the new position. Other strengths, such as language skills and publications showing expertise, should be included as additional material.